iPhone 6s and iPad Pro rumours hotting up

We are coming to that time of year when Apple is expected to release new versions of its flagship products – the iPhone and iPad. Although the iPhone continues to sell strongly, iPad sales have been flagging. So it’s no surprise that Apple is expected to shake the iPad range up.

According to reports, the new iPhone – currently dubbed the iPhone 6s – will offer a new rose gold option that matches the new Macbook, a 12MP camera and the new A9 processor with an extra gigabyte of memory over the 1GB in current models. The TouchID sensor is expected to see some improvement, as Apple Pay continues to gain in popularity.

A new iPad, the so-called iPad Pro – is expected to appear this year. With a 12.9in display, it has the feel of a new MacBook without the keyboard. Most of the iPad Pro rumours suggest it will support Force Touch as Apple continues to add haptic feedback to its products as it has with the Apple Watch and the new MacBook’s trackpad.

Interestingly, some parties are suggested the iPad Pro will include NFC (near field communication) making it a good candidate as a point of sale terminal that could receive payments via Apple Pay and other tap-and-go payment systems.

At this stage, all of this is just speculation. However, if my mobile phone contract was about to expire, I’d be holding off on a new iPhone. Typically, Apple releases new iPhones in mid to late September each year. That’s just four months away, so unless your current handset is close to death, it’s probably worth hanging on for the new model.

With the iPad Pro – that’s an interesting call. We’re struggling to come up with a personal use-case for a 12.9in tablet. We already carry an iPad Air and 13in MacBook Pro. Clearly, we’re not the target audience. However, creative professionals who take their work on the road could find great application for an uber-tablet like this. Coupled with a purpose-built stylus (something that a few pundits are speculating about) this could be a great device for architects, graphic designers and photographers. And, as we said, it could make a great point of sale terminal or kiosk device.